Apple changes its mind on iPhone screen repairs; Face ID will no longer be at risk

Last week we told you that Apple added a microcontroller chip to the iPhone screen. When a broken iPhone display is replaced, the microcontroller needs to be added to the new screen from the original glass, or else Face ID will fail to work.

The process of moving over the microcontroller is so complex that most independent repair shops cannot properly handle the job without breaking Face ID. Of course, Apple does this on purpose to make sure that only certified repairmen touch an iPhone with a damaged display. You see, certified repair shops have access to a software tool developed by Apple that makes it easier to move over the microcontroller and install it on the replacement display.

But Apple has told The Verge that it plans on disseminating a software update that will allow Face ID to continue working following a screen swap even without the microcontroller getting moved to the new screen. This will help repair shops that don't have the financial wherewithal to purchase the equipment needed to move over the microcontroller and allow them to do screen repairs. After all, such work could be quite lucrative for small repair shops.

A video posted on YouTube by iCorrect discusses the process of replacing an iPhone screen and how such a repair puts Face ID at risk until Apple releases the aforementioned update. When that will take place is not yet certain.